Modric Drops Spurs Departure Hint

Luka Modric will decide future after the summer's European Championships

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Luka Modric will wait until after the summer's European Championships to decide his future.

The Croatian midfielder was at the centre of speculation last summer after handing in a transfer request and revealing his desire to move to Chelsea following Spurs' inability to qualify for the Champions League.

Victory for The Blues could deny Tottenham a place in Europe's premier club competition after they failed to finish third in the Premier League and Modric says he could seek a new test.

Modric has again called into question his long-term Spurs future

"I will decide about my future after the Euros," Modric said.

"I will make the decision where to continue my career. I'm ready for the big tests."

Spurs appeared to have warned off interest in Modric after a frenzy of speculation last summer; however should the club again miss out on the Champions League, manager Harry Redknapp and chairman Daniel Levy would be hard pressed to retain the midfielder for another season.

Chelsea, who have been heavily linked with Modric, would replace Tottenham in the Champions League should they beat Bayern Munich this weekend, and would therefore be in pole position to try to tempt the 26-year-old away from White Hart Lane.

Modric has enjoyed a vintage season in Tottenham's midfield, playing a pivotal role as the club briefly flirted with a Premier League title challenge.

Following last summer's declaration that he wanted to leave Tottenham, Modric wasted little time winning the fans' admiration back, scoring brilliantly in the thrashing of Liverpool in September.

He made telling contributions during a run of 10 wins in 11 Premier League games at the start of the season and then assist Spurs as they rallied at the end of the campaign, beating off competition from Newcastle United and Chelsea for fourth spot.

While the club's European fortunes could dictate his future, Tottenham's ability to hold on to their best players, namely Gareth Bale and Emmanuel Adebayor, who is yet to agree a permanent deal after a year-long loan from Manchester City.

Furthermore, if the club were to miss out on the Champions League, then Modric is likely to be interested in whether Redknapp and Levy can continue to attract, and finance, moves for some of the world's best players.